I spent most of yesterday driving down from Marquette. After a detour through [near] Owosso, I headed to Mt. Clemens to begin my several-day excursion to the Detroit area for some mountain biking. I know…

…I’ve heard it from so many people: “Why would you go down there to mountain bike?” Well, because there is a lot of mountain biking down there. Sure, it’s not like the stuff we have in the Keweenaw or the rest of the Upper Peninsula, but they still have some great trails with their own special characteristics. Many of the trails are just incredibly freakin’ fun!

Today, my guide, John Rose of Knobby Tire Tours, showed me around the Stony Creek Metropark trails. John is also co-director of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association’s Mountain Bike Patrol. It didn’t take long for me to notice that it was an excellent trail system for some serious stress relief. The layout of the trail – windy, yet flowy – was perfect for getting in the zone. Even though it was cold and rainy, I found myself in that happy place.

The trails also included a little technical riding. There were some wide bridges that wound through the trees. There were some fun, rooty drop-offs, sections of small baby-heads, and steep climbs around turns. There were also plenty of opportunities for speed. This trail has a little of the “whee factor” going on. Overall, I would rate this trail intermediate in difficulty.

The reason why John and I went to Stony Creek was to participate in the Michigan Mountain Biking Association Metro North Chapter’s third annual Massive Fallout Ride. After our ride, we drove to Addison Oaks to chat with the riders and have a snack. Afterward, we headed to an MMBA board meeting and brought the day to a close.